Richmond Public Schools is bringing high-speed Internet bandwidth to 58 locations across the district--reaching every classroom--with the installation of a new fiber optic network from Windstream Corp. The district now has one of the most robust communications networks in the state of Virginia.

A press conference will be held at 10:30 a.m. EDT on June 19 at Henderson Middle School, 4319 Old Brook Road in Richmond, Va., to officially announce the new network.

The 87-mile fiber optic wide area network (WAN) enables all schools within the district to conduct online and standardized state testing simultaneously without sacrificing bandwidth or Internet speed at any location. In addition, Richmond Public Schools can now take advantage of the benefits that a high-speed network offers educators—from enriched curriculum and new educational resources to ongoing professional development and administrative uses.

"Richmond Public Schools remains committed to providing innovative and cutting-edge solutions that enrich the educational experience of our 21st century learners," said Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Yvonne Brandon. "Our partnership with Windstream enables us to strengthen our technological infrastructure and enhance classroom instruction. We are thrilled about the opportunities this new fiber optic network will provide for our teachers and students."

Fiber optic networks are the most advanced communications networks available today. Fiber optic cable is often said to be "future proof" because of its near-limitless capacity and ability to transport vast amounts of data without sacrificing speed or reliability when connected to a communications network.

"As a large school district with numerous locations, Richmond Public Schools needed a network that offers every student equal access to online state testing and other educational resources," said Don Perkins, Vice President of Business Marketing at Windstream. "Windstream's fiber optic network enables this high-speed Internet access by allowing the district to reliably and efficiently transmit large amounts of data over long distances."

Windstream has a nationwide fiber optic network spanning 115,000 route miles across the country. With an unparalleled mixture of metro, long-haul, and diverse routes, Windstream's fiber network delivers high-capacity capabilities and a robust portfolio of advanced data, voice, and network services to offer customers a higher quality, more efficient, and more reliable overall experience.

The Richmond Public Schools fiber project was funded, in part, through the E-Rate program, which is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) and provides financial assistance for eligible K-12 schools and libraries in the United States to obtain cutting-edge telecommunication and Internet services.